Period: From September 2024      Issued on 10.09.2024 using data to the end of August 2024

Rainfall:

Rainfall in August showed a strong northwest to southeast gradient with western Scotland and northwest England receiving over 170 percent of average. Western Wales and most of Northern Ireland also saw above average rainfall. The remainder of eastern and southern parts of the UK experienced below average rainfall, as little as 30 percent in some places. The outlook (issued by the Met Office on the 27th August) indicates the chance of a wet September is similar to normal, though Autumn as a whole (Sept to Nov) is more likely than usual to be wet (1.8 times the normal chance). Northern parts of the UK are expected to have the greatest chances of being wetter than normal.

River flows:

River flows for August reflected the rainfall pattern, with exceptionally high and some record-breaking high flows seen in the northwest. Above normal river flows persisted in parts of the southeast despite the dry August. Elsewhere, river flows were normal or below normal. The outlook is for this pattern to continue, with normal to high river flows expected across the northwest over the next three months, as well as above normal flows in groundwater dominated catchments of the southeast in September. Across northeastern and central England flows are likely to be normal to below normal for September.

Groundwater:

Groundwater levels for August were normal to above normal, with exceptionally high levels recorded in some parts of northern England. Low groundwater levels were recorded in South Wales. The outlook is for groundwater levels to remain normal to above normal across the majority of the UK for September and the Autumn period. Levels in the Carboniferous Limestone of south Wales are uncertain and could remain below normal depending on the aquifer response to early September rainfall.